The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-10-19
GOVERNOR LEsLIE'S REPORT.

GOVERNOR LEsLIE'S REPORT.
Governor Leslie's annual report to the
Secretary of the Interior is exhaustive,
carefully and co~nscientiously written by
a hand impelled by ardent Lore for the
grand Territory. The governor first paws
his respects to the hardy pioneers in
glowing words of praise.
',These brave men and brave women
came with empty pockets, but with clear
heads, strong hands and honest hearts;
they have compelled these gulches TO
give up their shining dust. and these
mountains to Weld their golden irea-
cures they have turned these mountain
streams upon a thirsty soil, and secured
the most luxuriani crops. The gold and
the glowing descriptions of hidden trea-
survs Of mines and soils and genial skies
which they sent home brought thou
sands 10 their assistance. and in q quar-
ter Of a century, they have built a pros
porous commonwealth on the founda-
tions SO well laid by those free, hardy
pioneers. Cities have sprung up like
magic; large stately structures have
been erected for public uses, substantial
and commodious school houses and other
institutions of learning. good church
buildings, commercial and banking
houses that would be no discredit to
Broadway and Wall Street, mark the
progress of this great country. Men
who welded the pick and shovel or
drove a bnll team for long years, now
live in palaces, dictate financial politics,
regulate discounts and direct the chan
nels of cemIneice. Thousands of pros.
porous rural homes, such as are found no
where hut upon the American farm,
ornament all our broad rich valleys, and
the hum and tread of busy industry add
music to the hills, while millions of cat
tie and horses and sheep feed and fat
ten on the grasses which grows spontane-
OILS everywhere all over this broad do
main"
The governor makes a conservative
estimate of Montana's population by
placing the figures at 10000. He gives
some important figures regarding crops,
quoting the average yields somewhat
lower than we believe them to be. By
his figures Montana has l 400 900 head
Of cattle, 10000 head of horses and q
0o0,0 900 head of sheep within its confines
this year. The total assessable value of
taxable property for this year is sixty
million two hundred thousand. Mining,
he says. continues to be the principal
occupation, its progress constant and
rapid, more money being invested this
year than any year previous in mines.
He feels impelled to ask a serious CON
sideration of the matter of forests and
lumber, that the sparse forests may be
saved for the use of the farmer.
Regarding school lands he says:
Montana has beenthe home ofthe white
man only a fraction over a quarter of a
century Her people have no school
fund except as they draft upon their
estates by the process of taxation. The
general government has heretofore do
mated to our people for school purposes
lands which consist of the 18th and seth
sections of each township and 70 Sec
tions for the support ola slate university
But these lands are still held by the
giver, and Montana has no title to or
control over them. They have been
selected and designated 50 that the school
mark is upon them. 1t therefore ap-
pears to be appropriate for me to ask
your attention to this most sacred trust,
involving the intelligence and virtue of
the future population of this promising
commonwealth. l am advised and be.
lieve h~einformation to be true, that very
much of these lands have been seized by
certain persons, who have them fenced
up and live upon them. and in this and
other ways are appropriating and con.
summing their products greatly to the in
jury and tending much to the destruction
of this valuable school property. And
am assured that this species of taking
for private uses of the wrong doer has
been going on for a number of years
Moreover it, is n fact that already some
portions of these school lands have been
lost. in this, that a portion of them were
found to have been appropriated before
surveyed, and designated for school or
university purposes, and still another
portion. were taken as mineral lands, l
ask for the people of Montana, that such
action be taken as well insure the i'm.
mediate expulsion from those lands of
every person who are engaged in their
occupancy, cultivation of selfish appro-
priation in any way, and that ample
provision be made for their oversight
and protection against trespass and
spoilation."
For the efficiency of the Montana mill.
tia he asks that Congress extends it aid
to the end that the National Guard of
Montana, which for twenty years has
been deprived of governmental assistance
may reach a degree of efficiency that its
merits demand.
He urgently requests that Montana be
provided with public buildings and re
comments the addition of a refinery to
the Helena Mint.
RESERVATIONS In ORDER.